Following the University of the Free State’s (UFS) decision to phase out provisional registration and the subsequent unrest across its three campuses, the university has announced that it will introduce more equitable and sustainable financial support for its students from 2026.
According to the university’s Director of Communication and Marketing and spokesperson, Lacea Loader, the amended system will be rolled out in 2026. “This means that from 2026, students will be fully registered once their fees or funding have been confirmed,” she said.
The new approach allows students to manage their registration while providing them with certainty regarding their registration status. “It also provides an opportunity for the phasing out of provisional registration,” Loader added.
During a meeting between university management and the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) on 10 October, it was agreed that the gradual implementation of this system and approach will not affect the following students:
- Students who have confirmed funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), irrespective of their historical debt category.
- Students with confirmed financial aid and historic debt of less than R20 000.
- Students with outstanding debt of less than R30 000 (these students can register in full for 2026, subject to the payment of a first instalment and settlement of historic debt by 30 May 2026).
- Students with outstanding debt of more than R30 000 will need to reduce their historic debt to R30 000 to qualify for point 3 above.
“It was also agreed with the ISRC that students with historic debt of more than R30 000 will be prioritised in funding applications for bursaries, provided that proof of their own application is submitted,” Loader said.
Bursary applications for the 2026 academic year opened yesterday (11 October) for final-year bursaries, while other bursaries will open on 20 October, giving students adequate time to secure funding.
“The university will also provide targeted financial advising to help students manage their finances, apply for funding, and avoid registration-related crises,” Loader stated. “As part of this transition, no deregistration of provisionally registered students will take place in 2025.”
The VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund has also been established as a joint initiative between the university and the ISRC to create a dedicated vehicle for additional funding to support students at risk.
Compiled by Warren Hawkins
warren@mahareng.co.za
